Germany has become the latest nation to accede to the IMO’s treaty for the safe and environmentally-sound recycling of ships – the Hong Kong Convention—yesterday in London.
Germany’s accession marks the 13th contracting State to the Convention out of the 15 required as per the first of the three conditions for the convention’s entry into force.
The 13 contracting states to the convention represent 29.42% of world merchant shipping tonnage.
“With Germany’s accession, seven countries have acceded to the convention in the last six months, which is one more than those that acceded in the previous nine years. The acceleration in the recognition amongst shipping nations of the need for the convention to enter into force the soonest possible probably reflects growing concerns over the enforcement of the regional European Ship Recycling Regulation since the beginning of this year,” said Dr. Nikos Mikelis, non-executive director of cash buyer GMS.
“What remains now is for two of the major ship recycling nations to also accede to the convention before the ship recycling industry can start operating under a uniform global regulatory regime. India, most of whose recycling yards have invested in infrastructure, training, and working procedures and have been certificated by IACS classification societies as compliant with Hong Kong convention, now holds the key to the convention’s entry into force,” Mikelis added.
